State of Oregon Archives: on Budget & Economy
Bob Niemeyer:
Cut the size of government and jobs will follow
Q: How would you ensure that everyone who wants a job can find one?Niemeyer: Cut the size of government and jobs will follow. Stop government activities that are not government responsibilities and jobs will follow. End regulations that are not based
on law enforcement and jobs will follow. Businesses exist for the purpose of making money. Making money is why we work. Making money for your employer really is the only way to be able to get health care, housing, or even food.
You want jobs, get rid of the minimum wage, lower taxes on businesses if not eliminate them, and stop to over regulation of every aspect of business. The people need to relearn that their value to business is based on how much money your employer can
make with their help. Stop giving away money that belongs to our ancestors. Unemployment benefits stop at 13 weeks. No more Federal money. Rebuild Oregon's educational system so our children will have a higher value in the job market.
Source: League of Women Voters Guide to 2016 Oregon Governor race
Sep 9, 2016
Bud Pierce:
Cut growth in state budget by half
Bud Pierce will:- Shrink state work force by not replacing retiring state workers.
- Cut growth in state budget by half.
- Establish a commission to examine state programs and recommend closing or consolidating program--with up-or-down vote of
commission's whole package of findings by legislature.
- Zero-based budgeting.
- Fix PERS Once and For All.
- Eliminate Cadillac healthcare plans for state workers.
- Replace Kate Brown's rubberstamp with a Bud Pierce veto pen.
Source: 2016 Oregon Gubernatorial campaign website BudPierce.com
Dec 9, 2015
Bud Pierce:
Cut government workforce instead of raising taxes
Bud Pierce says he can continue major state programs without seeking new taxes. "If we can allow the number of state employees to decrease through retirement and attrition," Pierce said in a
Portland press conference, "especially from upper- and middle-management, we'll have more money for the actual programs." Pierce says he'd like to cut the workforce by about 3 to 4% a year.
Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting on 2022 Oregon Governor race
Oct 12, 2016
Casey Kulla:
Government should help develop mixed housing stock
Given the flat wages of the post Great Recession world, those barriers are insurmountable without condominiums, duplexes, townhouses, and small detached homes. These units will also increase the variety (and amount) of rental stock.
Recent laws have allowed reintroduction of traditional mixed neighborhoods but we need to find ways to get developers to build them. Financing these types of development is difficult for lenders, so we need to find ways government can help with that.
Source: 2021 OR Governor campaign website KullaForOregon.com
Aug 30, 2021
Christine Drazan:
Identify and prosecute waste, fraud and abuse in government
For too long, fraudsters have taken taxpayers for a ride by stealing money from the unemployment program, rental assistance programs, and other government benefits. The state has a duty to protect taxpayer
dollars by aggressively investigating and prosecuting instances of fraud and using all legal means to recover stolen money. Fraud of any kind will not be tolerated by my administration.
Source: 2022 Oregon Governor campaign website ChristineForOregon.com
Mar 3, 2022
Gordon Harold Smith:
Stabilize the monster that is devouring Wall Street
The two addressed the Wall Street bailout. "The bill that Gordon Smith voted for last week... it is a blank check. A $700-million blank check to the biggest titans on Wall Street. It doesn't address the core issues,"
Merkley said."Stabilize the monster that is devouring Wall Street... before it gets to your street. That's the kind of action that is called for right now," said Smith.
Source: 2008 Oregon Senate Debate reported by AP on KGW
Oct 10, 2008
Gordon Harold Smith:
Supports bailout as BETTER regulation, not MORE regulation
Merkley reiterated his opposition to the $700 billion bailout even after the rebound on Wall Street Monday, saying he wanted to see more oversight over federal regulatory branches. "This bill was poorly done," he said.
Smith said he wasn't for either more or less regulation, but better regulation in general and said he supported the bailout also because it included a four-year reauthorization of the county payments program.
Source: 2008 Oregon Senate Debate, in Southern Ore. Mail Tribune
Oct 14, 2008
Gordon Harold Smith:
Supports government help for people facing foreclosure
Merkley hung the blame for the economic crisis on Smith's shoulders. "Do you understand that our children are going to have to pay back the debt you are running up?" he asked. Merkley blamed deregulation supported by Republicans such as Smith.
For his part, Smith argued that Merkley was out of touch in his choice to oppose the recently approved $700 billion bailout package.
Both candidates said they supported government help for those people facing foreclosure.
Source: 2008 Oregon Senate Debate reported by AP on KATU
Oct 9, 2008
Jason Beebe:
Give business incentives to grow economy, not higher taxes
To help economies grow, incentives work. Not more government control. I will take this same approach in moving aside and letting businesses thrive.
It is a proven economic development approach. Unless we have leadership that is focused on jobs and the economy versus raising taxes and forcing companies to move their money off shore we will not be successful.
Source: 2021 OR Senate campaign website BeebeForOregon.com
Aug 29, 2021
Jason Beebe:
Very simple, we spend too much money
Very simple, we spend too much money. The trillions that Biden is proposing is out of control. The amount of pet projects that gets dumped into this spending bills are atrocious.
We can't put all the debt (and associated taxes) on the back of our grandkids.
Source: 2021 OR Senate campaign website BeebeForOregon.com
Aug 29, 2021
Jason Conger:
Supports executive bonuses; opposes federal bailout
"Since being elected, he's been missing in action when it comes to the needs of Oregon families and communities," Conger charged, adding that
Merkley has wasted time on "obscure procedural technicalities like filibuster reform."He also criticized Merkley for supporting the federal bailout--known as the
Troubled Assets Relief Program--of the financial industry following the 2008 economic meltdown. He said that the senator was opposed to
Wall Street bailouts during the campaign but reversed himself after coming into office--and he charged that Merkley also voted against limits on bonuses for top executives.
Source: Jeff Mapes in The Oregonian
Oct 17, 2013
Jeff Merkley:
Bailout bill is a $700-million blank check
The two addressed the Wall Street bailout. "The bill that Gordon Smith voted for last week... it is a blank check. A $700-million blank check to the biggest titans on Wall Street. It doesn't address the core issues,"
Merkley said."Stabilize the monster that is devouring Wall Street... before it gets to your street. That's the kind of action that is called for right now," said Smith.
Source: 2008 Oregon Senate Debate reported by AP on KGW
Oct 10, 2008
Jeff Merkley:
Oppose bailout bill; more oversight needed
Merkley reiterated his opposition to the $700 billion bailout even after the rebound on Wall Street Monday, saying he wanted to see more oversight over federal regulatory branches. "This bill was poorly done," he said.
Smith said he wasn't for either more or less regulation, but better regulation in general and said he supported the bailout also because it included a four-year reauthorization of the county payments program.
Source: 2008 Oregon Senate Debate, in Southern Ore. Mail Tribune
Oct 14, 2008
Jeff Merkley:
Our children have to repay debt from deregulated Wall Street
Merkley hung the blame for the economic crisis on Smith's shoulders. "Do you understand that our children are going to have to pay back the debt you are running up?" he asked. Merkley blamed deregulation supported by Republicans such as Smith.
For his part, Smith argued that Merkley was out of touch in his choice to oppose the recently approved $700 billion bailout package.
Both candidates said they supported government help for those people facing foreclosure.
Source: 2008 Oregon Senate Debate reported by AP on KATU
Oct 9, 2008
Jeff Merkley:
Strengthen the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Jeff is fighting to fix our broken financial system and make it work for middle-class families and small businesses again. Jeff is passionate about consumer protection and making sure that ordinary families are protected against scams. He led the fight
in Oregon to take on the predatory payday lenders. In the U.S. Senate, he's fought to create and strengthen the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, with the sole mission of looking out for consumers in their everyday financial transactions.
Source: Vote-USA.org on 2014 Oregon Senate incumbents
Oct 24, 2014
Jim Huffman:
Supports balanced budget amendment
Huffman says he differs most fundamentally from Wyden in his view that government should have a limited role in American lives. He opposed federal stimulus spending, and favors extension of federal tax cuts for both the rich and middle class,
a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, repeal or major overhaul of the 2009 health care bill and fewer restrictions on economic uses of federal lands.
Source: Oregon Live coverage of 2010 Oregon Senate Debate
Oct 8, 2010
Jim Huffman:
No $2M spending on exotic ant research
When pressed in one question to name a single change he would make to address the nation's climbing debt, Huffman turned to a statement from one of his television ads. He said he wouldn't spend $2 million on exotic ant research as Wyden voted to do.
The Oregonian's PolitiFact researchers concluded that statement was false, noted Wyden. "I did not vote for anything that mentioned ants in the bill," he said.
Source: OregonLive.com coverage of 2010 Oregon Senate debate
Oct 22, 2010
Jo Rae Perkins:
Shrink government; cut BLM, USFS, and the Fed
Key Messages:- I will work to shrink the size of the federal government agencies. This should lead to curtailing out of control spending and reduce the over reach of those agencies.
- I support term limits, 12 years maximum in Congress.
No more career politicians
- I support Medical Freedom, am Pro life and Pro 2nd Amendment.
- Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
-
A: Out of control federal agencies that have very little oversight and spend taxpayer dollars like there is no tomorrow.
We need to cut the size of the federal government and get back to basics. End the Fed, drastically reduce the size of the BLM, USFS, Dept of Ed just to name a few.
Source: Ballotpedia.org on 2020 Oregon Senate race
May 20, 2020
Jo Rae Perkins:
Stop spending tax dollars on pork project earmarks
In 2017, there were approximately 163 earmarks, aka pork projects, at a cost of $6.8 billion. These expenditures are line-items in an appropriations bill that designates tax dollars for a specific purpose, going around established budgeting procedures.
There is no need to reduce our defense spending. There is a need to stop spending tax dollars collected by the federal government for items which are not specifically listed in the Constitution. Items not specifically enumerated are left to the States.
Source: Vote Smart Oregon Congressional 2018 NPAT
Nov 1, 2018
Jo Rae Perkins:
End out of control spending, cut bloated federal agencies
National Debt: We will only end
out- of-control spending by pushing back on bloated federal agencies.
Source: 2020 Oregon Senate campaign website PerkinsForUSSenate.com
Aug 17, 2020
Jo Rae Perkins:
Filed for twice for bankruptcy; lost professional credential
The first items Perkins lists on her website as her qualifications to unseat Sen. Jeff Merkley are her experience as a "financial advisor, budget analyst, debt freedom counselor, and personal banker," yet KOIN has learned she has filed for bankruptcy
twice and had her Certified Financial Planner mark revoked by the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board. The CFP Board cited the second bankruptcy as a reason it sanctioned Perkins in October of 2010.
Source: KOIN CBS-TV-6 on 2020 Oregon Senate race
Jul 15, 2020
John Kitzhaber:
State recovering from Great Recession, but not every person
We currently measure economic recovery by two things: the number of jobs we are creating and the rate at which our state GDP--the creation of wealth--is growing. By those metrics we are doing very well in Oregon. We have gained back all the jobs we
lost during the Great Recession and--as measured by growth of the state GDP--Oregon had the 4th fastest growing state economy in the US in 2012.But how does that translate to the well-being of our fellow Oregonians--to their ability to meet their
basic needs, to feed their children and support their families? The answer is: not very well. It is not that good jobs are not being created; they are--but not fast enough to replace the ones lost during the Great Recession. This is not something new.
It has been going on for a long time.
In the midst of this economic "recovery" a growing number of people are now trapped in low-wage and/or part-time jobs on which they cannot possible support a family--and with no hope of getting ahead.
Source: State of the State address to 2015 Oregon Legislature
Jan 12, 2015
Julian Bell:
Invest in urgently needed affordable workforce housing
People need affordable workforce housing now. Under my leadership, the state of Oregon will invest in this urgent task.
We will also focus on increased access to mental health for those experiencing homelessness and support the enforcement of our laws to restore order.
Source: 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial campaign website DrJulianBell.com
May 23, 2022
Kate Brown:
Fund infrastructure; start-up businesses; and job retraining
Brown indicates support of the following principles regarding Oregon's economic development:- Increase state funds for improving the state's transportation system, including major roadways, railways, and airports.
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Provide low-interest loans and tax credits for expanding, start-up or relocating businesses.
- Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.
- Fund construction of a North-South light rail transportation system for Portland
Source: Oregon Legislative 1996 National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 1996
Kevin Stine:
Supports stimulus over market-led recovery
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Stimulus better than market-led recovery"?
A: Support.
Source: Email interview on 2016 Oregon Senate race with OnTheIssues
Jan 1, 2016
Knute Buehler:
Boost economy via spending controls and cutting regulations
Buehler declined a request for an interview. In an email he wrote that he is running to "reform Oregon's struggling public schools," improve the state's budget and boost Oregon's middle class. Buehler, who opposed a bill this year that would have
scaled back a business tax break that critics said is helping wealthy doctors and lawyers, said his budget strategy would rely on spending controls. To help the economy, he proposed additional career training and "resisting job-killing regulations."
Source: The Oregonian Buehler OpEd on 2018 Oregon Governor race
Aug 20, 2017
Mark Callahan:
Balanced Budget Amendment to the US Constitution
I support legislation for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that government needs to live within its means. As Americans, we must do this each and every day of our lives, out of necessity. No matter what your political
stripe or party affiliation, we are all fiscal conservatives, to some extent. We need to focus on keeping our government accountable for spending our money. Gone should be the days of our government spending millions on wasteful projects.
Source: 2016 Oregon Senate campaign website, CallahanForOregon.com
Oct 9, 2015
Monica Wehby:
Problem is uncertainty in federal regulation & tax climate
This January, Monica headed out on a tour of 100 small businesses in 100 days to listen and hear what is ailing the workforce in Oregon. Dr. Wehby has been hearing the concerns of a variety of business owners and their employees.
From ranchers, to loggers, to coffee shop and hair salons owners, she hears the same thing over and over again--that uncertainty about what the federal government is doing in healthcare, in the regulatory fields, and the changing tax climate is forcing
small business to hunker down. Government should be encouraging growth, not squeezing small businesses out. As a U.S. Senator,
Dr. Wehby will fight for the small businesses of Oregon so that our kids can have good middle class jobs available to them.
Source: 2014 Senate campaign website, MonicaForOregon.com, "Issues"
Mar 18, 2014
Paul Romero:
Cut ALL the pork; steady draw down to save trillions
Q: What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?A: Cut ALL the pork. Eliminate subsidies for commercial businesses who make a profit. A steady draw down would save trillions of dollars. The Federal Government should only
be spending money on issues that fall under the perview [sic] of the Constitution, PERIOD. Many Departments will be closed. State sovereignty, those things not specifically delegated to the Federal Government fall to each individual State.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2020 Oregon Senate race
Nov 3, 2020
Ron Wyden:
No bailout of finance industry, no Wall Street bonuses
Huffman criticized Wyden as a career politicians who has failed to address Oregon's high unemployment rate, revive the timber industry or pass his health care and tax reform bills. "It is no coincidence," Huffman said, "that during the 14 years Sen.
Wyden has been in the Senate, unemployment in Oregon has exceeded the national average. And it is no coincidence that the economy has suffered in every corner of the state." Wyden fired back, denouncing Huffman's support for the bailout of the finance
industry, bonuses to Wall Street executives, privatization of Social Security and repeal of the new health care reform law. "You stood on the side of Wall Street," Wyden said. "I stood on the side of the Oregon people."
Wyden argued government initiatives, such as stimulus spending, have helped the economy and saved jobs. And tax reform, timber land use compromises and government efforts to foster more green industries promise to give Oregon's economy a boost.
Source: OregonLive.com coverage of 2010 Oregon Senate debate
Oct 22, 2010
Winona LaDuke:
Replace corporate subsidies with community revitalization
If she's elected vice president, LaDuke says, she would lobby Congress to halt corporate subsidies and give the money to rural and urban communities in need of revitalization. She would encourage public agencies and
private companies to work together to explore alternatives to nuclear energy, such as wind and solar power, and would promote recycling and the growing of industrial hemp.
Source: (X-ref Environment) The Oregonian, "Activist Fire"
Jul 12, 2000
Betsy Johnson:
Would veto any budget that did not have bipartisan support
On budget: "Imagine the transformational effect of a governor who would say, 'I'm not going to sign a bill into law, I'm not going to sign a budget into law, I'm not going to make appointments to boards and commissions without bipartisan support,'" said
Johnson, 71. Although she is not the Republican nominee, she's said repeatedly that she fully intends to hand veto power to Republican lawmakers. Specifically, she would "veto any major legislation that didn't have bipartisan support."
Source: Canby Herald on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
May 24, 2022
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026